Methods of repelling rodents employing chlorinated phenol derivatives



United States Patent METHODS OF REPELLING RODEN TS EMPLOYING 'CHLORINATED PHENOL DERIVATIVES Blaine .0. Pray, Wadsworth, and William E. Bissinger,

Akron, Ohio, assignors to Columbia-Southern Chemical'Corporation No Drawing. Application October 30, 1953 Serial No. 389,480

Claims. (Cl. 167-46) This invention pertains to novel expedients for protecting property from damage ,by .rodents such as rats. More particularly, it concerns novel compositions and methods for imparting rodent repellent qualities to such property.

It has been discovered, in accordance Wlth'thlS invention that certain tetrachlorinated aromatic compounds are rodent repellents. Further, it has been found that compositions containing one or more of such compounds preferably admixed with a material which is incompatible therewith may be used to impart unusually effective rodent repellent properties.

Compounds which evidence rodent repellent qualities according -to this invention are derivatives of 2,3,5,6- tetrachlorobenzene which conform to the following formula:

wherein R is hydrogen, OH, or'an alkoxy group, preferably an alkoxy group containing from 2 to 4 carbon atoms, e. g. ethoxy, propoxy and'butoxy; and R is hydrogen or NO not more than one of said radicals (R and R) being hydrogen.

Typical compounds contemplated by this invention include: 2,3,5,6-tetrachlorophenol; 2,3,5,6-tetrachloronitrophenol;v 2,3,5,6-tetrachloronitrobenzene; 2,3,5,6-tetrachlorophenyl n-butyl ether; 2,3,5,6etetrachlorophenetole. Of these, 2,3,5,6-tetrachloronitrophenol exhibits the most effective rodent repellency qualities, with 2,3,5,6-tetrachlorophenyl n-butyl ether being next in that regard. Generally, it has also been observed that the nitro derivatives (e. g. those wherein R is NO are more active than'the parent (e. g. wherein R is hydrogen).

If property which is normally damaged by rodents is treatedwith a compound of the herein described class a substantial decrease in the damage results and often almost complete protection against rodents is afforded. Inasmuch as rodents are responsible for widespread and costly damage, this invention provides an answer to a heretofore serious problem.

Advantageous utilization of the rodent repellent properties of these compounds may be achieved in any number of ways. They involve providing for the presence of the compound in the area to be protected. Depending, therefore, on the specific article or area being treated, diiferent'iexpedients are selected which are appropriate for accomplishing the desired end.

In the case of packaged goods, particularly packaged foods which attract rodents, the compound is normally disposed in or on the wrapping or packaging material. This may be accomplished by treating the material before or after the article is packaged with the compound,

2 notably in the manner hereinafterdescribed. Or, for example, the packagemay be provided with a liner that has been treated with the compound. Also, tape which contains one-or more of the compounds may be pasted over particularly vulnerable portions of the package, generally sharp edges, corners and cracks.

Many other items are subject to severe-damage by rodents, especially rats. Several such items include ropes of .all kinds, notably aboard ship, fiber-glass conduits such as those present in air conditioningsystems, insulating materials, etc., including many construction materials, e. g. wooden and textile articles. Damage is sustained both during storage and use of these articles.

Practice of thisinvention may also be employed for an objective other'than preventing damage, namely to keep rodents out of a particular area or object even though the rodents do not cause physical damage. The presence of rodents is undesirable per se for many reasons including the filth and disease they spread, the disturbances they cause, notably in walls and conduits, etc.

Thus, even articles or areas not damaged by actual destruction by rodents may require protection. Such areas often entice rodents, not solely because food is available, but because climatic conditions are favorable, e. g. a warm area in winter, cool area in summer, dry place in wet weather, etc.

As already discussed, rodent protection is achieved by insuring the presence of one of the described compounds. Large areas are protected, for example, by painting with a coating containing the compound, distributing the com.- pound by dusting in the form a finely solidformulation of the compound, etc. Manufactured articlesor packages are susceptible of protection by. incorporating the compound in or on their exposed surfaces.

The compound, or particular compositions thereof, may be used .to coat,,or impregnate materials including woven and non-woven cellulosic articles such as paper, cardboard, woodboard, wood, sisal, hemp, etc., textiles such as cottons and other natural cellulosiccontaining woven materials including synthetic cellulosic fibers, .e. g. rayons, etc. Woolens, wovenand matted (felted), furs, silks, and other proteinaceous ,goods ,may likewise be treated. Fiber glass, insulating compositions such as mineral wool and other inorganic compositions may also be treated. Synthetics include v-wovenand non-woven forms of polyamides, e. g. nylon, polyacrylonitriles, polyacrylates, notably methyl methacrylate, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl chloride-acetate and various other polymerizable monomers and copolymers from which films and ,fibersmay be prepared.

Suitable treatment of the woven and non-woven articles may involve coating or impregnation by spraying, roller application, vapor depositionfbrushing, dipping and like operations Besides this, incorporation of the compound may be accomplished during the manufacture, such as in paper by inclusion.inthe-beaterpulp during manufacture, etc. With'resinous shootings, notably polyvinyl alcohol and polyvinyl acetate type sheets, the'compound may be added prior to polymerization and formation of the sheet, as by inclusion in the unpolymerized material.

The compound may be suitably introduced into various coating compositions during or after their formation. Thus, one embodiment includes providing covering compositions such as-paint s, shellacs, varnishes, and the like with a concentration of the compound prior to their 'application to a surface. Insofar as it does not interfere with the film forming characteristics, this is a convenient expedient. Also, cementitious compositions including mortar, concrete, etc. may be provided with a low concentration of the compound prior to setting. Various wood preservatives may be handled similarly.

Compositions containing the contemplated compounds and a carrier wherein the carrier and compound are incompatible are of especial value and constitute a preferred embodiment of the invention. They permit suitable application of the compound to a surface and provide for a protective coating of exposed compound. Starches, notably naturally occurring starches including potato starch and corn starch; various polymerizable monomers and copolymers such as styrene, methyl methacrylate, vinyl chloride, vinylacetate, vinylchloride-vinylacetate, butadiene, and the like are illustrative incompatible carriers.

It is to be understood that incompatibility, as herein employed is intended to denote the state that exists when the composition has been applied and treated to provide the contemplated protective coating. Thus, a suitable composition may initially contain a carrier which is compatible with the rodent repellent compound, but which when applied in accordance with a proper expedient is no longer compatible. In the case of polymerizable materials, monomers and copolymers, this is particularly true; in the unpolymerized state the two components often may be compatible whereas after polymerization they are incompatible.

Also intended are compositions such as paints which contain a material in which both the compound and ultimate film (coating) forming components are mutually compatible, but wherein the material, usually an industrial solvent, is not present in the final coating. Such solvents typically are removed by air drying or heating such that the actual coating contains incompatible constituents.

Solid formulations, notably dusts, of the contemplated compounds are also useful. They may be prepared, for example, by spraying the compound as a liquid (molten or in a volatile solvent) onto a highly absorptive material such as highly absorptive silica. Addition of other finely divided materials such as chalk, calcium carbonate, talc, sodium silicate, wood flour, calcium silicate, diatomaceous earths, etc. to provide a more dilute composition is possible. It is also possible to grind the compound and solid carrier in a hammer mill to provide a solid dust like formulation.

Wide latitude in the concentration of the rodent repellent compound in formulations hereinbefore described is possible. Usually such concentration is selected to provide an ultimate concentration of up to 50 milligrams of compound per square inch of exposed stu'face (surface undergoing protective treatment). Surfaces containing as low as 1 milligram and less per square inch are often satisfactory. Slight variations in the optimum concentrations, depending on the specific activity of the individual compound, are to be expected. However, compositions containing from 0.5 to 25 percent by weight of the compound generally suit the requirements.

The following examples illustrate the manner in which i the invention may be prepared.

Example I The rodent repellent qualities of these compounds is demonstrated by conducting food acceptance tests with various rat species. In such experiments, rats are provided with a weighed portion of untreated food and a weighed portion of food including 2 percent by weight of the compound. The quantity of each of the two portions of food eaten by therat is ascertained at given intervals. In the case of the herein named compounds, the rats refused to eat the treated food when untreated food was available; when untreated food was devoured,

they refused to accept the treated food with rare exception.

4 Example II An illustrative formulation containing the active tetrachlorinated benzene derivatives herein contemplated has this composition in parts by weight.

Polyvinylacetate-ehloride (Vinylite VYHH) 167 Dioctyl phthalate 14 Methyl isobutyl ketone 266 Methyl ethyl ketone 266 Toluene 400 2,3,5,6-tetrachloronitrophenol 200 In lieu of or in combination with 2,3,5,6-tetrachloronitrophenol in the above composition, 2,3,5,6-tetrachlorophenyl n-butyl ether, 2,3,5,6-tetrachlorophenetole, 2,3,5,6- tetrachloronitrobenzene, or other described active compounds be used.

Example Ill Incorporation of an active compound in a film prior to formation of the film is accomplished by mixing the following (in parts by weight) at about C. with stirring.

Polyvinyl chloride (Geon 101) 2,3,5,6-tetrachloronitrophenol 70 Dioctyl phthalate 15 Calcium stearate 2 Lead stearate 2 This is added to a rubber mill and heated to 138 C. to provide a smooth stock, which is sheeted off as a film about 5 mils in thickness.

Although the instant invention has been described with reference to specific details of such embodiments, it is not intended that the invention be restricted to such details except insofar as they are enumerated in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. The method of protecting property normally infested by rodents from rodents by imparting rodent repellency thereto which comprises applying to said property a compound having the following formula:

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,615,801 Brown Oct. 28, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 567,808 Great Britain Mar. 5, 1945 OTHER REFERENCES Chem. Abstracts, vol. 37 (1943), pp. 5035 and 5036. 

1. THE METHOD OF PROTECTING PROPERTY NORMALLY INFESTED BY RODENTS FROM RODENTS BY IMPARTING RODENT REPELLENCY THERETO WHICH COMPRISES APPLYING TO SAID PROPERTY A COMPOUND HAVING THE FOLLOWING FORMULA: 